Route details Stage 1: Barentu – Tesseney (April 19) 112kmStage 2: Tesseney – Agordat (April 20) 179kmStage 3: Keren – Asmara (April 21) 93kmStage 4: Mendefera – Massawa (April 22) 172kmStage 5: Massawa – Asmara (April 23) 113km The National Cycling Team (Team Rwanda) are optimistic they will put up a great performance to outshine favourites at the upcoming Tour of Eritrea 2016. The sixth edition of the annual Tour of Eritrea, a 2.2 UCI category race and part of UCI African Tour, is slated for April 19-23 in the East African great cycling country. Jonathan ‘Joke’ Boyer’s men will be fighting to challenge Eritrean teams (3) at their backyard among other top hopefuls for top honors of the five-day event. Team Rwanda will jet out of the country today afternoon aboard Qatar Airways. This year’s competition will be contested by ten teams, six national teams, two select teams from Eritrea and two continental clubs respectively. According to Rwanda Cycling Federation, the team has been intensively training at the Musanze-based Africa Cycling Rising Centre (ARCC) and riders are in top form and great fitness to deliver a great showing, vying for top jerseys including the yellow jersey in Eritrea. The team includes Patrick Byukusenge, Camera Hakuzimana, Joseph Areruya, Ephrem Tyushime, Jean Claude Uwizeye and Samuel Mugisha. The team will be accompanied by former US international Jonathan Boyer (head coach), mechanic Jamie Bissell and masseur Obedi Ruvogera. Other teams to compete in Eritrea are from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, Germany’s Stradalli- Bike Aid, Amorovitta of Ukraine, Eritrean national team, Selina and Txinat cycling teams both from Eritrea. The race will cover a total distance of 670km on a predominantly hilly terrain. Before kicking off the quest for Tour of Eritrea glory, the team will compete in two one-day races in Eritrea, Fenkil Northern Red Sea Challenge April 17 and Massawa Circuit on April 17. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
